Dr. Jeffrey Thomas: What distinguishes CPMC and this practice in particular is the ability to choose between microsurgery and endovascular techniques. I’m one of very few people so far in the county who practice both techniques. Endovascular techniques are distinguished by having the surgery done from the inside of the blood vessel from a remote location. So you’re doing brain surgery from a tiny incision over the femoral artery in the leg. The incision’s the size of maybe an eyelash. Mr. Addleman was a young man who suffered a very severe stroke and at the time he was already beyond a point where conventional treatments could help him. I remember that he was comatose and we didn’t really have anything left. He was dying before our eyes and the only thing that we could possibly do for him involved tremendous risk.

Mr. Addleman:Without Dr. Thomas’ procedure I probably would have died or been stuck confined to a wheelchair.

Dr. Jeffrey Thomas: He had a splendid outcome from a terribly, terribly
dangerous brush with death.

Mr. Addleman: I am very thankful for CPMC. I think they obviously went way beyond you know, doing what normal hospitals do.

Dr. Jeffrey Thomas: At CPMC, we’re not just high tech, and we don’t only take advantage of the most ultra-modern technology in this practice, but we’re very personal and medicine is a very personal business and we practice it personally.

Watch the video and learn more about the surgical treatment for stroke from Dr. Thomas, Medical Director, Interventional Neuroradiology.